National Project Coordinator – Youth and Agrifood Value Chains

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and malnutrition. The main aim of the FAO country office in Zambia, which is headed by the FAO Representative, is to assist the Government to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Reporting lines

The National Project Coordinator will work under the overall supervision of FAO Representative and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (programmes) and technical supervision of the Decent Rural Employment Team (DRET) Technical Officer/international project coordinator, and in close collaboration with the colleagues in headquarters and the regional/subregional offices. In particular, the incumbent will coordinate the interregional project: Integrated Country Approach (ICA) for boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system, Phase IV (ICA-4) in Zambia.

Technical Focus

The National Project Coordinator will oversee the implementation of the interregional project Integrated Country Approach for boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system, Phase IV (ICA-4) in Zambia. The ICA-4 project aims to support country stakeholders in designing and implementing sustainable, inclusive, and scalable solutions for generating decent employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for rural young women and men in agrifood value chains. In Zambia, the ICA-4 project has tentatively selected the soybean value chain as its main entry point. The National Project Coordinator will provide all necessary guidance, coordination, and technical leadership to achieve the expected project objectives in Zambia, working in consultation with relevant government institutions and value chain actors, including youth representatives and organizations.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Coordinate with the International Project Coordinator and, based on the results and activities presented in the project log frame, support the implementation and M&E of project activities including the development of annual work plans, activity requests, calendars, and progress reports at national level on a quarterly basis, liaising with national partners.
• Manage the process of policy dialogue with the national partners of the project and key agriculture, employment, and rural development stakeholders.
• Support the processes and activities related to engagement with stakeholders, ensuring that all the relevant stakeholders, particularly rural youth and the more vulnerable youth groups, are informed, consulted and can actively participate in and share their voice during the implementation of project activities.
• Participate in meetings, workshops and any other relevant events organized by the national partners of the project and key agriculture, employment, and rural development stakeholders.
• Provide day to day management of the project activities, including organizing periodic meetings and workshops/trainings, in collaboration with the FAO representation, Government, and its institutions, UN agencies as well as other relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure gender mainstreaming in all project activities and products at country level, to achieve gender-related targets and objectives, and for gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation.
• Provide technical inputs to key national stakeholders in the processes of revision of existing or formulation of new policies, strategies, plans and programmes.
• Coordinate and assist the missions and trainings conducted by international consultants and FAO staff by processing the administrative procedures and coordination with relevant governmental agencies, UN agencies and national stakeholders.
• Ensure the adoption of a sound project communication strategy, including by developing information materials, to guarantee adequate access to information for all relevant stakeholders through different communication means.
• Collaborate with other youth-related programmes and projects within the FAO work programme and beyond that may bring collaborations and partnerships with the ICA project.
• Contribute to the FAO Policy Database and Website on decent rural employment by preparing new database entries and news articles.
• Coordinate and act as a national focal point in collaboration with DRET, to establish and implement grievance mechanisms which are culturally appropriate and compliant with the relevant FAO policies and procedures and based on agreed rules with stakeholders.
• Perform any other relevant tasks as required.

Liaison with the OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, appropriate review and clearance processes.

All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:

FAOSTYLE (English: https://www.fao.org/3/cb8081en/cb8081en.pdf ; French: https://www.fao.org/3/AC339FR/ac339fr.pdf ; Spanish: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339s/ac339s.pdf ; Arabic: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339a/ac339a.pdf ; Chinese:
https://www.fao.org/3/ac339c/ac339c.pdf );
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm ;
FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en ;
Story guidelines http://intranet.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/occ/Quick_Guides/UPDATED-Digital-Storytelling-Guide-EN-FINAL.pdf;
Story template http://intranet.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/occ/Quick_Guides/FAO-Stories-Template-UPDATED.pdf ;
UN map standards (available to staff);
FAO Brand and policy book (available to staff).

Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced University Degree in the field of Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Agriculture, Development Studies or equivalent.
• 5 years of experience in agrifood value chains or market systems development work, including the planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of related projects or programmes.
• Working knowledge of English.
• Zambian National.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work.
• Understanding of FAO policies and programmes is considered a strong asset; and familiarity with UN administrative, operational and financial procedures is an asset.
• Good knowledge of youth-inclusive and employment-centred agrifood-system development policies, strategies and programmes
• Very good knowledge of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment.

Selection Criteria

• Prior experience in working with youth in agribusiness and youth employment issues, and/or inclusive and sustainable business models, and/or women empowerment and gender equality in agrifood value chains.
• Extent and relevance of experience in project management, planning and implementation.
• Extent and relevance of experience working with private sector, NGOs, academic and government institutions on inclusive and sustainable agrifood value chain or market systems development, including on youth- and women empowerment and decent employment and on agroecological and other climate-smart approaches contributing to environmental sustainability.
• Level of communication skills, good writing skills including ability to write concise technical reports in English is a strong asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION